Sailor Moon: The Once and Future Lady of Shadows! – By Ocramed
Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST, Castlevania and other properties belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a limited story. C&C are welcomed.
Special Note: This is the sequel to "The Return of the Lady of Shadows".
Part 1
Ranma Saotome was having toast, with butter and raspberry jam, and Klingon coffee (called "Raktagino"), while reading the Sports Page of his local paper, at the family-owned "Café Americana", when one Mamoru Chiba sits down at the deck table where Ranma was having his breakfast.
"I hate you, Saotome," Mamoru said with a perturbed look. "I really do."
"Well, Good Morning to you, too," Ranma said, as he continues to read and sip his drink.
A server comes over to the table and asks Mamoru if he wanted something to eat.
"Um, oatmeal, with orange juice, a glass of ice water, please," Mamoru said. He knew that the café catered to Western style cuisine. "And some butter and brown sugar. And a sliced banana."
"Yes, sir," the server said with a bow, before returning to her station…
"You know, this is the first time you've been here," Ranma said.
"Well, I figured that this is something between you and Usagi only," Mamoru said. "You two did have a life together."
"Still do," Ranma replied, as he lowers his paper. "But, she has her space, you know?"
"Well, right."
"So, speaking of Usagi, what happened this time?" Ranma asked.
"Look, I know that Usagi is not the Usagi I knew, after you two disappeared on some adventure across the space-time continuum or something, and that Usagi was changed by those experiences," Mamoru replied. "I GET that. But what I don't get is…how did she become some monster?"
"Um, you have to be more specific," Ranma said, as he takes another bite out of his toast. "Are we talking about Usagi as a 'hulk', Usagi as a mutant crime-lord, Usagi as a kaiju-"
"Wait, Usagi is a criminal?" Mamoru said in surprise. "What's this about her being a kaiju?"
"Well, you do know that one of Usagi's aliases is 'Orochiko', and the Serpent Sailor Moon, right?"
"Umm…what?" Mamoru replied. "I know about the 'Hulkusagi', but…the other…stuff?"
"Fine. To re-cap, a rogue shinobi named Orochimaru tried to use Usagi's body for his own, only to be the one to be consumed. And…Usagi has a giant serpent form, although you could call it a dragon, I guess…"
"And you're fine with it?"
"No, I'm not, considering the fact that all of her 1000 guises of different beings, species, entities or WHATEVER, with some of them being more predatory than others," Ranma scoffed. "I'm just glad that she has kept her mind through all this."
Mamoru looks at Ranma as if he had lost in mind. However, considering who the Prince of Earth is married to, he did believe his rival's words to be true…
"Mamoru, you have to understand that Usagi's different forms were acquired over a long period of time," Ranma said, as the server brought Mamoru's food to the table. "In many cases, she acquired them in order to save the lives of others."
"Well, fine," Mamoru said. "But…what about Usagi being a vampire?"
"Pardon?" Ranma replied. "Did you say…vampire?"
"I did," Mamoru said.
"What makes you think Usagi is a…vampire?"
"I don't know WHAT she is, but, well…"
"Alright, start at the beginning," Ranma said, as he decided to pay attention to Mamoru.
"Okay, you know that it was our wedding anniversary last weekend, right?"
"Are you talking about…OURS, or you and Usagi?" Ranma asked, referring to the fact that his girl form had a guise named "Naru Osaka", aka "Molly", aka "Sailor Helios". Or was that Naruru Osaka? Sometimes, the constant changes in the timeline, through no fault of Ranma or Usagi, tend to play havoc with his memories. All he knew was that Ranma, as an amnesic girl, had an affair with Mamoru, resulting in the reincarnation of Queen Beryl, named Beryl, now a full goddess of the dead, and lord of the Japanese underworld. This was ironic since the denizens of the underworld were YOUMA.
"No, Usagi and MINE," Mamoru said. "Look, here's what happened…"
FLASHBACK!
"I like these nature walks with you, Mamo-chan," Usagi said, as she and Mamoru trekked through the dense forest in darkest…Japan.
"Well, I'm glad you liked my idea of hiking for the weekend," Mamoru said, as he brought up the rear. He was amazed at how easy it was for them to be on this trip, considering the fact that Usagi, in her younger days, would have whined about being tired by now…
"Well, believe me, taking a break from the city does wonders," Usagi said, as she began to sniff the air around her…
"Hey, honey, look at that," Mamoru said, as he points out a large deer, a buck even. While he was pointing at the dear, Usagi's eyes turned a weird red/orange/green combination, even as she seemingly glides out of range of Mamoru's person…
"I never seen a dear so up close," Mamoru said, as he turned around to where he expected Usagi to be. "Usagi? Usagi-?"
"HISSSS!" said a female, bat-like creature that seemed to pounce from out of nowhere, as she tackles the buck.
"Ah!" Mamoru said with a jump, as he readied himself for a fight.
"Mmmmm," Usagi said, as she reverted back to normal, even as her fangs sank deep into the neck of the buck.
"Usagi?" Mamoru said with alarm.
"Hmm?" Usagi said, as she looked up. She then wiped her mouth of blood…
"Sorry about that," Usagi said, as she petted the now-unconscious deer. "I really don't know what came over me…"
Mamoru could merely stare at his beloved with shock and horror.
"…"
END FLASHBACK!
"Even though Usagi assured me that she was fine, I couldn't help to think that my…beloved is a monster," Mamoru said with a sigh, before sipping his drink. He then stared Ranma hard.
"What the hell happened to Usagi?" Mamoru asked. "Did you have something to do with it?"
"Why are you asking me?" Ranma asked. "Ask her."
"I promised her that we'll talk about…this, but I wanted to know the story from you first," Mamoru said.
"Well, as far as I know, Usagi had a run-in with the Dracul, and, well…the rest is history," Ranma replied. "At any rate, she's supposed to be high up the food chain in her vampire clan."
"But I thought vampires only come out at night," Mamoru said. "In fact…her attacking an animal is the first time I've seen her drink blood."
"Mamoru, there are many types of vampires, just as there are many types of people," Ranma said. "Not all vampires are restricted to the night life, and some can hide their true natures in plain sight, passing the usual tests for what constitutes a vampire."
"I see," Mamoru replied. "Is… there a cure for her condition?"
"The question is: does Usagi want to be cured?" Ranma said. "She says she found a way to side-step her condition, while keeping her vampire powers, but…"
"But what?"
"Look, if you want to know Usagi's…reasons for being a vampire, among other conditions-"
"What, there's more to her than just being a vampire?" Mamoru asked.
"A lot more," Ranma said. "And out of deference to you, you should talk to Usagi about this, and why she became the 'Lord of Shadows' in the first place."
"What is a…Lord of Shadows?" Mamoru asked.
"Ask her."
"Hmmm," Mamoru said, thinking that, for the sake of his peace of mind, he really need to get to know the woman that he proclaimed that he loves, even if she's a monster now.
Tbc.